Whistling Doctor

By Anna Taylor Blythe

More than 200 years ago, Joseph Brown, a young doctor, came to Charleston to establish his medical practice. He was an affable young man, and easily made friends throughout the city. Dr. Brown rented a room at 59 Church Street, the home of two elderly women who always knew when he was home because they could hear him whistling a happy melody. And everyone in the neighborhood knew when the doctor was walking the streets of Charleston because they, too, could hear him whistling the same bright tune.

After attending a performance of American Perdita, Dr. Brown joined several other young men at a tavern to discuss the play. In the English version, the Perdita, or little lost soul, was said to have been that of a Mrs. Robinson, an actress and mistress of King George IV. The conversation was light as the young men extolled the virtues of this young actress. But when one of the men made a derogatory remark about her, Dr. Brown felt he must defend her honor. So he challenged the fellow to a duel.

The next morning, the men met at dawn with their seconds. They stepped off the required paces, turned and fired. Dr. Brown aimed into the ground so he would not injure the other man, but the good doctor took a bullet in the knee. Dr. Brown’s second promptly carried him off to his lodgings on Church Street.

Blood poisoning soon set in and the doctor languished, becoming weaker and weaker with each passing day. Then one morning, to his landladies’ surprise and delight, they heard his usual bright and happy whistling. The two hurried to his room only to find him dead — as a doornail.

Ever since his death, people of many generations have heard Dr. Brown whistling in his room and along the streets of Charleston. Skipper, the landscaper at the Church Street house many years later once asked the owners if they ever heard the ghost. They quietly asked Skipper not to speak of such things, as their children were small and they did not want them know it was a ghost they heard whistling.

Recently visitors to Charleston heard the "Whistling Doctor" during an early morning walk down Church Street. What was remarkable to them was that they did not see anyone on the street, all the windows in the houses were closed, and no one was in any of the driveways.

It is undisputed that Charleston is the most haunted city in the country. The question remains as to why this is so. The theory most Charlestonians embrace is that no one wants to leave Charleston because it is the closest place to Heaven on earth. Another theory is that when primogeniture (when the oldest son inherited everything) reigned, many of the old houses retained their contents for generations. When ghosts returned for the possessions they had in life, where else would their belongings be preserved just as they had left them but in Charleston’s historic homes.

Charleston is truly a city that clings to its history and way of life. The tradition of storytelling is still practiced by many families. In fact, our legends have been passed down, generation to generation, as bedtime stories.

A number of books have been written about Charleston’s ghosts. The author’s own Told to Me Stories is the most recent book. Julian Buxton and Ed Macy wrote Ghosts of Charleston. The most famous is Charleston Ghosts by Margaret Rhett Martin. Jack Leland’s stories are in 62 Famous Houses. Doctor to the Dead is the classic written by John Bennett. There are other books about the ghosts in the area and there are many ghosts walking tours that will tell you ghost stories. Tours are storytelling. There is no animation nor is any needed with the many fascinating stories that are REAL.

Is Charleston, the US's most haunted city? Find out now!

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